Flat fluorescent lamp and backlight unit using the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a flat fluorescent lamp, including a back substrate, a front substrate made of a transparent material and mounted on the back substrate through a sealing member disposed therebetween, a plurality of partitions disposed between the back and front substrates to define a discharge channel therebetween, a fluorescent material layer coated along a surface of the discharge channel defined by the partitions, a plurality of electrodes disposed to both the back substrate and the front substrate to cause a dielectric barrier discharge, and a reflective layer to cover the entire back substrate and upper portions of the electrodes disposed to the back substrate. In addition, a backlight unit is provided, including the above flat fluorescent lamp, a light diffusion part spaced from a top of the front substrate of the flat fluorescent lamp to diffuse light irradiated from the flat fluorescent lamp, an insulating layer disposed under the reflective layer of the flat fluorescent lamp through a first adhesive layer, and a base member disposed under the insulating layer through a second adhesive layer. Such a backlight unit is advantageous in improvement of uniform characteristics of luminance and supplement of durability of the lamp upon combination of the lamp and the base member.

1. A flat fluorescent lamp, comprising:
 a back substrate; 
 a front substrate made of a transparent material and mounted on the back substrate through a sealing member disposed therebetween, to be spaced from the back substrate by a predetermined interval; 
 a plurality of partitions alternately disposed between the back substrate and the front substrate, to define a discharge channel of a zigzag shape therebetween, the partitions being in close contact with the front substrate; 
 a fluorescent material layer coated along a surface of the discharge channel defined by the partitions; 
 first electrodes disposed in spaced apart relation and extending substantially completely along both sides of an outer surface of the front substrate; 
 second electrodes disposed in spaced apart relation and extending substantially completely along both sides of an outer surface of the back substrate and facing the first electrodes; and 
 a reflective layer formed of a combination of a white ceramic material and a glass material to cover the entire back substrate and an upper portion of the electrode of the back substrate; 
 wherein apertures of the electrodes are formed to have sizes decreasing gradually from an inner side of each electrode to an outer side of the fluorescent lamp. 
 
   
   
     2. The flat fluorescent lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the partitions are integratedly formed with the back substrate. 
   
   
     3. The flat fluorescent lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the partitions are made of the same transparent material as the front substrate, and are integratedly formed with the front substrate. 
   
   
     4. The flat fluorescent lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the partitions comprise first partitions integratedly formed with the back substrate, and second partitions integratedly formed with the front substrate. 
   
   
     5. The flat fluorescent lamp as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of floating electrodes disposed between the electrodes of the back substrate. 
   
   
     6. The flat fluorescent lamp as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of floating electrodes disposed between the second electrodes of the back substrate. 
   
   
     7. The flat fluorescent lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the electrodes of the back substrate have a plurality of apertures, and the apertures are formed in stripe-, circle-, polygon-, or mesh-shapes. 
   
   
     8. The flat fluorescent lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the reflective layer comprises a white ceramic material including Al2O3, TiO2, and WO3, and is coated at a thickness not less than 20 μm. 
   
   
     9. A flat fluorescent lamp, comprising:
 a back substrate; 
 a front substrate made of a transparent material and mounted on the back substrate through a sealing member disposed therebetween, to be spaced from the back substrate by a predetermined interval; 
 a plurality of partitions alternately disposed between the back substrate and the front substrate, to define a discharge channel of a zigzag share therebetween, the partitions being in close contact with the front substrate; 
 a fluorescent material layer coated along a surface of the discharge channel defined by the partitions; 
 first electrodes disposed in spaced apart relation and extending substantially completely along both sides of an outer surface of the front substrate; 
 second electrodes disposed in spaced apart relation and extending substantially completely along both sides of an outer surface of the back substrate and facing the first electrodes; and 
 a reflective layer formed of a combination of a white ceramic material and a glass material to cover the entire back substrate and an upper portion of the electrode of the back substrate; 
 wherein the electrodes of the back substrate have a plurality of apertures, and the apertures are formed in stripe-, circle-, polygon-, or mesh-shapes; and 
 wherein apertures of the electrodes are formed to have sizes decreasing gradually from an inner side of each electrode to an outer side of the fluorescent lamp.